Palletized dispensing container



Nov. 29, 1955 L. J. BUDD ET' AL PALLETIZED DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Egt-Z/ Zak y M2155 Nov. 29, 1955 1 1. BUDD ET AL 2,725,171

I PALLETIZED DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 18. 195o 2 sheets-snee*L 2 United States Patent PALLETIZED DISPENSNG CONTAINER Larry J. Budd, Chicago, .lames G. Heidenreich, Des Plaines, Richard J. Lane, Wilmette, and Howard G. Haffenberg, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Pallet Devices, Incorporated, Des Plaines, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 18, 1950, Serial No. 156,571

9 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) The present invention relates to a palletized dispensing container, and more particularly, to a container for the dispensing of flowable material and having a multi-thickness bottom carrying thereon means for spacing the bottom from a supporting surface, thereby facilitating handling of the container.

In the materials handling art, the handling of owable materials has long presented a problem. The desirability of employing lift trucks for the movement of palletized loads has long been appreciated, but the difficulty of dispensing owable materials from a container supported on a pallet has remained a problem. The present invention now provides a novel means for packing and handling such material, so as to utilize the handling advantages and economies of lift truck operation.

The container of the present invention is provided with attached legs which serve to space the container above a supporting surface while at the same time eliminating the necessity of a separate pallet. The container as a whole is made of low cost sheet material, such as paper board or the like, and the entire container-dispenser, together with its integral pallet, is susceptible to inexpensive manufacture, so that it is expendable after a single use, thereby eliminating the necessity of shlpping the container and/ or pallet for reuse.

In general, the container of the present invention comprises a multi-sided box having an open top and a multithickness bottom wall. The bottom wall carries thereon to depend therebeneath a plurality of fiber board or similar legs. Preferably, at least one of the legs is in the form of tubular stock secured-to the bottom wall by portions of the bottom wall deformed `from the plane thereof into the interior of the legs. The aperture thus formed in the bottom wall may be utilized for the dispensing of flowable material with the hollow leg serving as a dispensing conduit.

. For uniformity and economy of manufacture, all of the supporting legs are preferably of tubular configuration, and the multi-thickness bottom wall of the present invention covers the leg apertures of certain of the legs of the container, while certain other legs communicate with the interior of the box through the bottom wall for permitting the dispensing of flowable material therefrom. Means carried by the container itself and movable relative thereto are provided for controlling material ow through the dispensing legs.

Preferably, the container of the present invention takes the form of a three-sided or triangular structure so that a pair of containers when bound together form a rectangular structure which may be readily handled in use, while the load carried by the container may be readily subdivided if desired by emptying only one of the containers.

The container of the present invention is adapted to receive and dispense ilowable material generally, including granulated solids, such as lampblack, thermoplastic molding powders, vegetables, and the like; semi-solids, such as tar, viscous paints, mayonnaise, and the like; and liquids, such as solvents and the like. In the case of semi-solids and ICC liquids, the container is preferably provided with a lluidtight liner and/ or all container joints are made Huid-tight.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved palletized dispensing container which is provided with attached depending supporting legs.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispensing container including a container body of paper board or the like having tubular depending legs adapted to serve as dispensing passages or conduits for materials in the container.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing container including a container body portion adapted to receive flowable material, hollow depending supporting legs, at least some of which communicate with the interior of the container, and means for controlling the iiow of material from the container through the hollow legs.

It is still another important object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container including a multithickness lower container wall and upstanding container side walls dening an interior space adapted to receive owable material and communicating with the exterior through tubular supporting legs carried by the bottom wall and controlled by valve elements interposed therebetween.

A more specic object of the present invention is to provide a shipping container comprising a pair of triangular separate containers secured together to form a rectangular larger unit, each of the containers having hollow supporting legs communicating with the interior thereof to accommodate dispensing of material therefrom, each of said containers also having a slidable valve element journaled thereby for controlling communication from the container interior through the legs.

Other and further important objects of the present invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational perspective view of a container of the present invention comprising a pair of assembled dispensing containers;

Figure 2 is a plan elevational view of the assembly of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an elevational View of a blank for forming a dispensing container of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a front elevational View, with parts broken away and in section, of a dispensing container of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken along the plane VI-VI of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a View of a blank for the container top.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures l and 2, reference numeral 10 refers generally to an assembled container comprising a pair of generally triangular dispensing containers 11 bound together into an integral unit by means of flexible metal binding strips 12, as is well understood in the art.

Each of the containers 11 is formed from a blank such as that illustrated in Figure 3, the blanks being die-cut to shape and scored for folding, as is well understood in the art. The blank 13 includes a rear side panel 14, a rst front side panel 15 and a second front side panel 16. The side panels 14-16 each carry a scored top flap 17 adapted to be folded along the score lines 18 during assembly of the container.

The rear side panel 14 also carries a generally triangular bottom panel 19 adapted to be folded along fold line 20 during assembly and is provided with a plurality of groups 21 of die-cut laterally spaced segmental fingers 24. A group 21 of lingers is provided at each corner of 3 the bottom panel 19, and in addition a group of lingers 21 is provided at the center of the side of the panel 19 adjacent the fold line 20, the group 21 at the apex of the triangle opposite the fold line Ztl being relatively larger than those groups of ingers aligned adjacent the fold line 20.

Each group of segmental lingers 21 includes a central die-cut aperture 22 and die-cut separation lines 23 extending radially from the aperture 22 and cooperating therewith to define individual tabs or lingers 24. The sparate lingers 24 are joined to the panel 19 by means of a peripheral score line 25 common to each of the fingers.

The front sides 15 and 16 also carry complementary bottom panels 26 and 27, respectively, joined to the sides 15 and 1.6 by score lines 26a and 27a, respectively, each of the bottom panels 26 and 27 being rectangular and of substantially the same width as the associated side panels 15-16, and of a length corresponding to the distance of the apex of the panel 19 from the foldline 20. The panels 26-27 are provided with complementary apertures 23-29, inclusive, and with a slanting score line 30 defining d'eectable end portions 26b and 26C, respectively, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. Panel 15 and the associated bottom panel 26 are longitudinally traversed by an additional score line 32t which is intermediate the total combined width of the panels 14, 15 and 16.

As arst step in the assembly of the' container, tubular supporting legs 3-3 are secured to the bottom pan'el 19. As best shown in Figures 4 and 6, a tubular leg 33 isv provided to' encircle each of the groups of segmentall tabsl 21. The assembly of the tubes to thebottom panel ist accomplished' by iirst positioning the tubes 23 to ovelie theY concentric tabs withA the inner periphery of the tube substantially coinciding with the score line 2S surrounding the groups of tabs. The tabs 24y are next deformed downwardly into the interior of the tube to abut the inner periphery thereof in extended surface engagement, andv the tabs are adhesively secured thereto. A convenient means of adhesively securing the tabs to the tubes is by the prior application of an adhesive to the under's'urfaces ofthe tabs, andv then the deformation-of the tabs into adhesive contact with the tubes.

Following the securing of the tabs 24y to the inner periphery of the tube 23, a central annular lockinglring3'4 isdnserted into-the. assembly to abut the-inner periphery of the tabs 24- toA reinforce the same and' toretainrtheni-in: radially spread; relation against the inner periphery of' the tube 33. It will beseen from the prior descriptionrthat an= aperture 35 is formed in the triangular bottom wall 19' by.` the deformation. of the' tabs 24'1 downwardly into'the interior of the tube 33.

As the'neXt' step-of the assembly ofthe container,the

side wall 16, together with the bottom flap-'27- and-top' ap 1174` associated therewith, andthe immediate acl-jacent portion of the side panel 15'; together.v withV the' bottom Hap-26 andtheupper flap 1.7` associated with this panel,.are folded along the scoreiline 32|to overlie' the remainder' of therpanel landtheback side panel I4: A'y strip ofl adhesivetapeor'other fasteningmeans 39'is then-appliedto* the adjacent edgesofthepanel'l and thepanel'l/-L The' sub1-assembly, thus: includingzthe complete'blank with-the legs-attach'edr-thereto, may be shipped/in thisfoldedycompacttform;

'Ifo' set` upthey container, the-secured sidesare 4first 'spreadE to; define? the triangular con'guration illustrated in *Figure 5;.andtthe bottorntap's 26'eandv27 are pivotedupwardly and` inwardly# abouti their: respective: scorev lines'Y 26a andi 27a to underlie the triangular shape.- The botto'ml flap# end' portions-.delin'edbyfthe score lines=30are first' fold'e'd upwardly; .softhati they 'abut the 4inner` surface. of) the? b'aek' sid'epanel .14',3 as. best fshown in :'Figurewd.;I

Following;theinfoldingjofuthe botto'rn panels 26-fan'd 27; the.legabearingltriangular bottom panel 19is folded upwardly about its score line 20 to underlie the bottom 4 flaps 26 and 27. Tli bttn ''p's 19, 26 ii'd 27 are their' secured together by suitable means, as by stapling, adhesives, or the like.

The container may then be lled with owable material, such as that material hereinbe'fore described, and following the lling, the upper marginal flap 17 may be folded inwardly as in Figure 4 to o'Verlie the margin f tle upper ends of the container. Next, a triangularly shapedtop' 36 is assembled from a suitable blank suc'h as Vthat illustrated in Figure 7. The blank includes the to'p portion 36 and marginal dependent side ap's 37 provided with reintorcingl cornerl tabs 38 as is well known in the art; The top side flaps 37 telescope downwardly over the open top container, so as to provide a finished closed container.

The container assembly shown in Figures l and 2 is obtained by abutting the longer rear side panel 14 of a pair of triangular eo'nt'aie'r's' 11 and binding the' two containes' afs a unit b'y r'rieans f reinforcing steel strapping 12 supplied andl se'ctire'd` as' is known in' theA art'.

lt' will b'ef seen that- 'po' as's'er'bly f the4 container' the apertures d'eliried b'y that row of s'eg'me'tal tabs' 2'1 aidjacent the fold line Z0 of the panel 14 willbe' closed by the' overlying b'o't'tforr iaps' 26 and 2"7. However; thet apertures 28'* and 239 of the flaps 26 and 27,A r'spe'c v'ly', will ov'erlie' the aperture fornid by th'e i'wnwa dly deformed and seeurd tb's` 24' of tl-"ret se't'u of't'abs" 211: attle' apex off tliel triangular bc'ytto'nil panel 19': Thus; communication tl'fro'g'hl thatleg' 3 3' directly' ul'derlyi g'? the aperture" will be permitted td affordI egres's'f for" material within the con-y tain'er'.-

The dispensing orifie'e" rarras'eatli'ebottoni-` o'f the contain v of the' ccmtaiinerr by* nandf ort' power mick having'lift forks extendingifbetween :theilegrsa'ffer elevating-imagen rainer. Thefinult=thiekness Hattem-wallet the container providesA adequate Suppen yfornire load#v in'ipse'dniere'onf by material contained therein, and it is thus n't ne'ce'sZ saryf to f provide f sepa-rate' pause means for emploi/nient withnhecontainer: Tfnertriangularl'shapeofthecentaine permits-- the bindingi of fr pair off containers" intf a'vi cofnf pact, easily.Y n'ieifa'ble'-y assembly while*A permitting` strijdivision* o'ftheload' cairied byf the" container assemblyl' The utilization'fofl the-legi astal dispensingguide or' co'r'l'i duitL is; also advantageous inr truc-:le operation', inasmuch as'I tlre're'fy is AVri'o# possibility)l of the dispnsin'gl lisse'sf being? covered by" theflifting: fo'rksthenrselve's to'I 1;\re'vei1'tt suchdispensing- Thefslida-Bl' `valv'ing element40 peri-nitstheuserf to c'ontrol the f dispensing. of il'owablematerial i as he' desiresy witlrftlrismaterial ibeinggfidedthroug'hfthe'i'hollw supporting leg 33 with obvious advantageous results.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be elected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A palletized shipping structure comprising a plurality of upstanding wall panels, bottom closure panels formed integrally with said side wall panels and cooperating to define a multi-thickness bottom closure Wall, tubular supporting legs secured to the undersurface of said bottom closure wall, means establishing communication between the interior of at least one of said tubular legs and the interior of said container, and means slidably journaled by said container and interposed between the interior thereof and said legs for controlling said communication.

2. In a shipping container having a plurality of upstanding side walls and a multi-thickness bottom wall defined by lower closure aps formed integrally with the side walls, tubular supporting legs secured to the lowermost ilaps of the bottom wall and communicating with the interior of said container, and a valving clement interposed between the bottom closure flaps controlling communication between the interior of at least one of said legs and the interior of said container.

3. In a shipping container, a plurality of upstanding side walls having bottom closure aps integrally formed therewith, means securing said bottom closure ilaps to one another to define a multi-thickness container bottom wall, said aps having registering apertures formed therein communicating with the interior of said container, a tubular supporting leg registering with said apertures and depending from said bottom wall, and valving means interposed between said aps for controlling communication of the interior of said container with the interior of said legs through said registering aperture.

4. A palletized shipping container comprising .upstanding side walls, bottom closure walls having registering apertures communicating with the interior of said container, hollow tubular legs depending from said bottom walls and having their interior communicating with the interior of said container through said registering apertures, and a valving element interposed between said bottom walls for controlling said communication. 5. A palletized shipping structure comprising upstanding side walls, a multi-thickness bottom wall having registering apertures therethrough, a container cover cooperating with said side walls, and said bottom walls to define an enclosed interior space, a depending sup-v porting leg aligned with said apertures and having an interior bore communicating through said apertures with said interior space, and a sldable valving element journaled by said bottom wall and interposed between said interior space and said leg bore to control communication therethrough.

6. A palletized shipping structure comprising a pair of separable shipping units each of triangular coniiguration and enclosing an interior space, means binding said containers into a rectangular shipping unit, hollow supporting legs at opposed corners of said units and each communicating with the interior of the associated unit, and valving means for controlling the inedpendent dispensing of material from said interior spaces through said supporting legs, said valving means in each unit being located in the bottom of each unit within the contines of the area of attachment of a leg to the bottom whereby said bottom is reinforced at the location of said valving CII means therein, said binding strap serving to retain said valving elements in closed position in shipping of said structure.

7. A palletized shipping structure comprising upstanding side walls, a multi-thickness bottom wall and a cover cooperating to enclose a triangular inner space, supporting legs at the corners of said container, one of said legs having an interior open bore communicating with said enclosed space, and a triangular sliding valve element insertable between said one leg and said space and journaled for sliding movement by said bottom wall for controlling communication of said space through said legs.

8. A palletized shipping structure comprising a rear side panel, front side panels formed integrally with said rear panel and cooperating therewith to define a triangularly-shaped open-ended container having an apex at the juncture of said front panels, means closing the open ends of said container including a multi-thickness bottom having registering apertures at the apex of said front panels, hollow supporting legs secured to said multithickness bottom and including one leg in alignment with said registering apertures for communication with the interior of said container, and a slidable valve element journaled by said bottom to underlie the apex of said front panels and interposed between the registering apertures of said botom panel to thereby control the dispensing of material from the interior of said container through one said hollow leg.

9. In a shipping container for owable material, a plurality of upstanding side walls and a bottom wall, supporting legs connected to said bottom wall and at least one of which is tubular so that its bore is aligned and deiines with an aperture in said bottom wall a discharge spout through which material contents of the container can ow and material flow control means carried by said bottom wall at right angles to the bore of said tubular leg and comprising a closure for the aperture in the bottom wall to afford a barrier to the flow of material through said tubular leg and being exteriorly of the container, manually displaceable to open said aperture for flow of material through said tubular leg.

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